Beach meets bar at Capri Club

Where were you on our recent holiday weekend? I can guarantee that most of you were lying by a beach, lake, mountain — anything serene with a breeze in place of the humid heat that seems to have fallen upon Beaumont way before I was ready to feel spring, let alone summer. As for me, I was still here, learning the pains of having a car

with sometimes-working A/C in Southeast Texas, something that can put even the most zen person in a bad mood.

Luckily, I found the Capri Club.

With murals of beach scenes everywhere you look, the Capri Club is an island of friendship next to the booming nightlife scene that is Dylan’s on the weekend.

Tammy McKinley/cat5

Don’t judge Capri Club by its parking lot and blacked out windows — once you’re inside, you’re family. To a girl with a glitchy car air conditioner, nothing feels cooler than a tall glass of Diet Coke, give or take the rum, and Capri Club certainly had plenty of the latter.

Face the bar counter stretching along the right wall and you’ll see liquor options bordered with blue lights. During your short wait for drinks, you may find yourself hypnotized by the 3D fish display/aquarium screensaver.

From the bar front, it’s easy to assume this space is relatively average sized, but enter the dance floor and you’ll find an entire other room complete with a pool table ($1 rental at the table) plus tons more seating options to enjoy the bands, hosted most Saturday nights.

If you really want a unique experience, climb the stairs in the room opposite the bar counter (I asked permission from a bar regular because I’m awkward, but you can feel free to just walk on up). To me, these are the best seats in the house. Comfy black leather couches, stools and tables provide more privacy, mute the band a little and give you a view onto the dance floor. Truly an unexpected find for what I expected to be an average Mid-County dive.

Tammy McKinley/cat5

Look around you and I’ll guarantee that everyone drinking at the Capri Club knows everyone else. These are the kind of people you want to share a drink with after a night winning money from a Louisiana horse track. With that in mind, I’d love to say a big belated thanks to the man in red who bought me and my partner a much-needed drink, making me feel all the more welcome in an unfamiliar environment.

Capri Club has a huge selection of liquors, so you’re welcome to have a glass of your favorite. As for beer, they hold your average selection like Bud Light for $3, or you can grab something like Dos Equis for $3.50.

Mondays they have happy hour from noon to 7 p.m. and on Tuesdays the bar hosts Texas Hold ’Em. Wednesdays are all about poker in general, while on Thursdays and Fridays you can get your sing on with Lucky Karaoke.

Tammy McKinley/cat5

It seems silly that this bar exists right next to Dylan’s, and yet I’d never walked inside until I felt so compelled on a three day weekend. Don’t wait for another holiday to check out what the Capri Club offers — you’ll come for the drinks but you stay for the company.